Reloading .32 S&W Long

Cotis

Cotis

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I recently acquired a 5th change model 1903 hand ejector in pretty decent condition. I completely disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled. Some pitting in the barrel, so I coated it with Dyna Bore Coat.

I found one box of ammo locally - 98 grain Aguila round nose lead. I ordered Lee dies along with their factory crimp die, 100 pieces of Starline brass. Bullets have me stumped. I just cannot find a HBWC anywhere in stock. I did buy 250 bullets off GB, they are 85 grain jacketed hollow points .312 with cannulure. My Lyman 49th edition has a load for this bullet, but my new Lee 2nd ed. Doesn’t. Most powders are HP38, W231, Universal, Titegroup or Bullseye for these 85 gr JHPs. Primers are CCI 500s. I have a little Bullseye, but I have a bunch of CFE Pistol and looking to make a plinking load with it. The Lee dipper that came with the dies “.17” will drop 2.3 grains of CFE Pistol. I loaded up 6 of these to try this week.

My issues are this:
1. I mainly have CFE Pistol powder to load with
2. I am sitting on 250 85 grain jacketed HPs that I have no other use for
3. I cannot find a cast, coated, lubed, anything 80 to 100 grains for this project.

I hear good things about 98 grain HBWCs, heck I would be happy with a 90 grain SWC or full wadcutter.

Thoughts and experiences welcomed.
 
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SNS casting has a 90gr RNFP I've had good luck with, as well as a couple heavier choices in stock. My 32s have liked them about as well as the HBWCs FWIW.
No experience with CFE but about 2.5gr of the B/E will treat you right behind those 90FPRN. Unique works well for me as well, failing that I found 2.5 of AA#5 wasn't bad. My Green Dot loads worked but were dirty and not as accurate as the B/E or Unique.
 
I bought several hundred of Hornady's 90 gr LSWC when the discontinued that bullet, but as I got low on them I bought the Lee 90 gr SWC tumble lube bullet mold. I cast them from recovered range lead and wheel weights and use Lee liquid lube. They shoot fine from 4 inch barrels, but the accuracy is lacking on 2" snub nose. (Model 30-1).

I have loaded a few dozen in 32 ACP for my Davis Derringer also and they are just Okay. (not enough time in the refiling!)

You should also look a bullet casters that cater to Cowboy shooters, as some of them make a 90 grain RNFP, I have used them in size .314 as well as .309 (most guns will chamber .314 but check 12- two cylinders worth- before loading a bunch, if they don't work resize the to .309 with a lee sizing kit.) These typically shoot as well as full wadcutters.

Some of the 1903 and model 30/31 revolvers don't like Wadcutters loaded flush with the case mouth. Try some of the WC's loaded with a RN charge of powder and seated to RN bullet overall length. I never have any 32 Long revolver not shoot these well.

Ivan
 
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Keep an eye open for one of the following :
Lee 311 - 93 - 1R : 93 gr. round nose , plain base.
Lee 311 - 100 - 2R : 100 gr. round nose
Lee TL314 - 90 - SWC : Tumble lube design , 90 gr. semi-wadcutter .
Pick up one of the Lee double cavity moulds ... I would get the TL314 SWC ... and become a bullet maker . Never lack for bullets as long as you live . Lee Load Manual should have data for one if not all three bullets in their manual .

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook has a lot of data ... 5 different bullets / bullet weights and 12 different powders ... but NO DATA for CFE Pistol .

I went to Hodgdon's load data center but it is messed up , limited data shown for CFE Pistol in one place has no data for 32 Long ... Larger data area will not let me select CFE Pistol as my powder choice ...They need to fix the site ... it's Wonky ! It only shows data for 32 H&R Magnum and 327 Federal magnum ???
If you got your load data from a reliable place ... it should be fine.
Jacketed HP's are more in line with the 32 magnum's the 32 Long was a lead bullet cartridge ( these bullets are hard and don't slug up like lead at low velocity / pressure that you are loading to ... your accuracy might not be great but will improve with proper bullets . At least you have something to test . Bring a range rod just in case a jacketed bullet sticks in the barrel ... you can push it out .
Be careful and good shooting ,
Gary
 
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Your old gun was made with lead bullets in mind. I would stick with them. I’ve got no experience with CFE Pistol. In .32 caliber my big users (powders) are W231/HP38, 700X, WST, and Universal. I use 231 and Universal with “higher” velocity loads with the little RCBS Keith-style LSWC, which runs around 103 grains. I won’t mention the charge weight because I can’t recall where I got my data (probably a long time ago), and the load clocks right at 1000 FPS, so it is probably not what everyone is looking for anyway. Accuracy IS good, which mainly why I stick with it. 231 in the SWL and Universal in the HRM.

I chose 700X and WST because I seemed to get better accuracy and more consistent velocity than I did with Bullseye when loading Hornady and Speer swaged HBWCs.

I always use 0.314” lead bullets in both .32 SWL and .32 HRM revolvers. Generally speaking, S&W .32 SWL chambers are always on the big side - almost too big, IMO. I’ve never seen a gun that wouldn’t allow 0.314” bullets. Check exit bore size of your revolver. :o

All this JMHO, hopefully not too far off the original topic. .32s are a lot of fun. ;)
 
I load for my 31-1. There isn't a lot of information for newer powder. I found an old article that recommended 7625 but they don't make it anymore. I had a few pounds and it works great for 100 gr. SWC.

Instead of trying to drive round pegs into square holes with the powder you have, use a recommended powder and load for whatever bullet you have/find.

Reloading The .32 Smith & Wesson Long - Reload Ammo

****I would not recommend 2400 for any 32 long bullet weight.***
 
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I read some of the articles posted here and went to Missouri Bullet Company website. I ordered some of the 78 grain round nose and 100 grain RNFPs, all Hi Tek coated. I should be in business in a few weeks! thank you everyone
 
I have been shooting the Lee 314 90 grain TL cast swc, and an Accurate Arms 314 98 grain cast swc in my S&W Model 631, and the 98 grain in my 1903 HE's. Both home cast with wheelweight alloy. The 98 grain is the most accurate with 2.1 grains of Bullseye. The 90 grain in the 631 prefers 1.9 grains of Bullseye. The 90 grain kind of surprised me by its accuracy.
 

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Late to the party here. I fear with the current state of affairs finding 32 cal bullets you want/like will be a “hit or miss” proposition. That’s why I’m so adamant about casting my own (or swapping back and forth with friends who have moulds I lack) to get what I want.

The impression you left in you op is that you already have the hard part taken care of, a suitable supply of Small Pistol Primers. If I were in your shoes, I’d “bite the bullet” and buy a pound of either Bullseye or W231/HP38 (they are the same thing) and have a known powder combo that has standards established. I know this pound of powder might seem a bit pricey these days, but you’ll get a few thousand loads out of a can… the price per round becomes negligible!

If you were closer to Central VA, I’d be able to help you out myself, but I’m sure a member of the loosely organized Brotherhood of the 32 is somewhere reasonably close and willing to get you going.

Good luck!
Froggie
 
Cotis;
You can not do better than to follow Ed Harris' recommendations on the .32 S&W Long. He has a technical back ground and personal experience that goes WAY beyond most of us. Use a powder that he recommends as well as his loads. You will be happy that you did.

I have several .32's and have used them extensively both "On the Range and in the Field" with excellent results. I have pretty much settled on using a 90-100 gr. home cast bullet. Lee's 90gr SWC tumble lube works well in the .32 S&W Long, as has been mentioned above. I mostly load my Group Buy 100 gr SWC or my NOE copy of the RCBS 98 gr. SWC and call it good. I would NOT use jacketed bullets in the S&W long.

Good Shooting,
Dale53
 
I used 2.3gr of 231 yesterday with that Speer HBWC 98.
I loaded them with HB up because I've seen other HB and even bevel base let the hot gases get in the rifling around the base and cause leading.
Have you seen leading or have you tried loading them upside down?

Thanks for the velocity on that load. 873fps seems a little hotter than I would have expected..
I also loaded some at 2.5gr and 2.75gr. Have you used these and what happened to accuracy between 2.25 and 2.75? I always walk the ladder trying to find the smallest group size by altering the powder charge for that one bullet.
I've also seen M D Smith say 2.6gr was Max which seemed light. Other sources differ about Max loads with 231.
What have you found.

Nice thread !
Prescut

Has anyone used Vihtavouri?
 
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oddshooter said:
I used 2.3gr of 231 yesterday with that Speer HBWC 98.
I loaded them with HB up because I've seen other HB and even bevel base let the hot gases get in the rifling around the base and cause leading.
Have you seen leading or have you tried loading them upside down?

Thanks for the velocity on that load. 873fps seems a little hotter than I would have expected..
Click to expand...
If you run HBWC backwards and don't load long you reduce the volume in the case, leading to higher pressures which can become excessive pretty quickly.
 
Thanks teletech,

That was a good catch on increased pressure with inverted HBWC. I should have stated that as well.

For this bullet only, it makes NO difference.
There are two sets of Knurling on the Speer HBWC and they are exactly the same distance from their ends. So the seating depth is exactly the same regardless of the orientation.

Prescut
 
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+1 on Bear Creek bullets--I load a lot of the .45 swcs and .38 swcs & hbwcs when I can get them. The bullets are powder coated and very slick.

I just bought a .32 H&R Magnum (a Ruger Single Six) and I've got a box of 100 gr. rnfp on the way. They do offer a 98 gr hbwc but I think the rnfp is better suited for the SSM.

The bullet selection covers a lot of the oddball stuff--8mm Nambu, .41 Colt, .455 Webley, rifle bullets too. Lots of interesting reading.
 
oddshooter said:
Thanks teletech,

That was a good catch on increased pressure with inverted HBWC. I should have stated that as well.

For this bullet only, it makes NO difference.
There are two sets of Knurling on the Speer HBWC and they are exactly the same distance from their ends. So the seating depth is exactly the same regardless of the orientation.

Prescut
Click to expand...

Not to belabor the point here, but if you are loading to the same overall length with the inverted HBWC, you most certainly are increasing the pressure. Since the air space provided by that hollow base and that would be inside the case normally is now replaced by the flat face of the wadcutter, you will have reduced the effective volume of the "combustion chamber" by a measurable amount, which in the little 32 S&W L is not an insignificant thing.

If, OTOH, you are loading with the first set of knurls outside of the case, you are probably reducing the loss of case volume sufficiently to bring the pressures back down. Since there are so many great hollow point mould designs out there now, I wouldn't waste my high end target bullets making mediocre defense ammo... but that's just me, YMMV.

Froggie
 
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